It’s the most wonderful time of the year…for free and discounted iPhone apps, that is. Here’s your reminder that today marks the return of Indie App SantaThe initiative was created to assist smaller app developers in reaching new audiences without the need to spend on expensive App Store ads. This event, which started in 2020, now enters its third year. It offers both a developer and a user audience. a Twitter feed of deals It also offers an advent calendar-style app where iPhone users can unlock one premium application either for free or at a substantial discount each day.
These deals will be available from today, December 1, 2022, through January 10, 2023. It’s sort of like a month-long Black Friday event, but only for indie apps. While typically TechCrunch doesn’t typically write about sales or promotions, this one is worth checking out as it inevitably turns up some undiscovered gems and helps support the indie app developer community.
The Indie App Santa event this year will feature 40 deals in an expanded range of categories, including mobile gaming. While the names of the apps aren’t released in an advance, Indie App Santa’s creator François Boulais tells us there’s at least one app that won an Apple Design Award making an appearance this year. He also noted that half of the deals featured will include free downloads for paid apps rather than only discounts.
Image Credits Indie App Santa
Boulais gives credit to Jean Delasalle (back-end developer) and Thibault Saint-Germain (front-end developer), for helping him run the event.
Developers who participate in the program must offer discounts for members, but they also reap the benefits in other ways. In addition to the initial surge in users, they often gain long-term loyal customers who also leave better ratings and reviews. It also gives their app a boost in the App Store charts around one of the busiest times of the year for downloads — the holidays. And the apps that offer other in-app purchases have the ability to profit from increased sales in the days that follow their deal’s listing.
As Luilux’s developer, Christian Lobach, remarked last year, “I have spent more money on Search Ads campaigns with much worse outcome [sic].”
This year’s event kicked off with today’s launch of Posture PalThe mobile app ‘The Motion Sensors in AirPods’ cleverly utilizes the motion sensors to help you improve your neck and shoulder posture. The app detects if your neck tilts, and sends you an alert. Typically, the Pro subscription is $14.99, according to its Indie App Santa listing, but users today can head into the app’s Settings and select a Lifetime free plan.
In the weeks ahead, more deals will be announced. You can follow this tracker. the @indieappsanta Twitter feed Or by downloading the app. If you choose the latter, you get the experience of tapping on little festive windows that open up to reveal the free or discounted app’s icon. To learn more about the deal and download the app to your iOS device, you can tap on the window. If you opt to support the program through an in-app purchase of $4.99, you’ll gain access to other features like push notifications to alert you to deals as soon as they arrive, alternate app icons, and soon, widgets. Many don’t necessarily pay for the feature set, however, they pay to support the program itself — and the app lets you increase your donation, as well.
